Fatal LI STi Crash, What Can Be Learned from It.

[WRXTIM]

Originally Posted by SLIC VIC

"performance subaru cars" are a bit new to america id like to think. it wasnt till the bugeye that you saw them going fast on the streets,

just like with any car make/model....once it's been out long enough for used ones to become affordable to everyone, you start seeing them everywhere.

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[Charlie-III]

Hi all, long time member, no real recent posts.

As a "performance driver" as well as a parent of one "legal to drive" kid, I have a sorta unique perspective.

I have to say that I'm, "sorta lucky to survive" my formative years as a new driver. No, I won't expand why. I survived, that's what sorta counts.

I have quite a few years doing:
Track days
Auto cross
Skip Barber 3 day course (at Limerock)
~500K miles driving

Have I bent cars????? Yes, sorry to say.
Have I hurt anyone (beyond a scratch)? Nope.

Have I tried to be a good example to my son (who now drives)? Yes.
Hoping to have cash to send him to a Skip Barber 3 day school next spring. Beyond that, I've tried to show him why to NOT get over his head.

I feel for everyone involved in the original accident. Yes, the parents were "stupid" for buying the STi (like buying a kid a gun but with no training.....sigh).
Yes, the kid was stupid for his driving.

What pisses me off is insurance companies. If I went to my agent and stated, "I have 'x hours' on a track in a controlled envirioment and did a certified 3 day competition course, do I get a discount?"
Likely answer would be, "Oh, you're a racer......we'll add 50% to your insurance premiums!!!!"

The route to fixing some of these issues lie with the parents, part of the rest is with the "kids", the balance is with the others involved (insurance is HEAVILY included here).

I wanted to add multiple responses to this post, but there were too many.

I like the, "It's better to drive a slow car fast" comment. I drive a 1998 Legacy GT wagon. Not anywhere the top of the list for "fast cars" by any standard. But, I'm a diehard roadracer, I like being the underdog. My Legacy is NOT stock. Some here have seen my car against "better cars" on a closed course.

Remember, it's not what the "paperwork" states is the better car, it's how much of the available performance you can use.
You really want to "push the limits", do it on a track. Then, when you "F" up, you hurt the car and maybe yourself. On a public road, you may hurt others that were not involved or willing.

Take my comments for what you will.

[Didntgotoharvard]

All the friends and family were raving about how smart this kid is. He can't be that smart if he thinks it's ok to drive twice the speed limit around a turn when it's wet, with no license, high, and with 4 other people in the car. I'm sorry, but that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. He shouldn't have been driving in the first place, let all alone combining it with illegal drugs and ****ty conditions. So much for his bright future.

[WRXTIM]

Originally Posted by Didntgotoharvard

All the friends and family were raving about how smart this kid is.

Actually, I've seen a couple of comments on several different online articles on this article that were posted by schoolmates of all 4 kids. There were many people who said things like "Im sure Joseph (the driver) was high and acting stupid, just like all of them usually are" etc etc...

He was probably driving this car just like he drove an STI he had on one of his xbox games. Kids these days need to realize that in real life, there's no reset button.

[Didntgotoharvard]

Originally Posted by WRXTIM

Actually, I've seen a couple of comments on several different online articles on this article that were posted by schoolmates of all 4 kids. There were many people who said things like "Im sure Joseph (the driver) was high and acting stupid, just like all of them usually are" etc etc...

He was probably driving this car just like he drove an STI he had on one of his xbox games. Kids these days need to realize that in real life, there's no reset button.

Even better. I'm glad they're not trying to portray him as some kind of saint. I just read the article posted by the OP and that only had positive things to say about him.